By Harold Brummett

Denmark Star Route

 

Joseph and I headed out to my sister’s house to check on a swarm of bees. It was late in the day so we suited up before we left. We were not afraid of a bee sting, but we were afraid of lots of bee stings and not knowing exactly the temperament of this swarm decided to err on the side of caution.  

The bees had for the last several weeks taken up residence in the swarm trap I had placed on Nana’s property. Joseph and I set about re-hiving the bees in a standard Langstroth hive box. Joseph, has tended bees and is a master beekeeper in his own right, allowed me to help him get the job done. The bees, a bit testy, were safely moved to their new permanent home. 

We started back to our home, driving on a blacktop country road where there were miles between houses. We rounded a curve and Joseph called out just as I saw this thing skitter across the road in front of me. I locked it up, steered around whatever it was, and came to a stop. A small black and white kitten continued to run, panicked into the woods and underbrush. Joseph jumped out of the truck and before he headed into the bush heard the cries of other kittens. There were four kittens in total, one in the brush and the other three preparing to make a run for it from the road ditch. 

We took three kittens home.  The kittens were emaciated, frightened, and so, so tiny. Their eyes not long opened – just old enough for solid food. Angie evaluated their condition and she and Joseph set about making a place for them. Angie and I then took off toward Kroger to get kitten food and a few other essentials before the store closed. Joseph had been busy getting them settled in and naming them to boot. There was now Pete yellow and white, Pearl grey and white, and another one who became Smokey a light grey and white.

They were very hungry and while Pete and Smoky were doing fine, Pearl languished. She had a fever and did not eat much. After food and a rest they were off to the tub for a wash. A trip to the Veterinarian came the next day for Pearl. Angie came back with wormers, antibiotics and vitamins.  I went back to where the kittens were found to look for the little Black and White kitten. 

Pulling over to the side of the road where we found the kittens, I got out and started into the brush. A buzzard surprised me, the large bird jumped up out of the foliage and onto a stump. It was not panicked and stared. I spoke to it in a conversational tone, inquiring as to if he had seen a small black and white kitten. He had. The bird looked back at where he had just come from and I followed his gaze. My heart sank as the little kitten lay there half-eaten. 

I was not happy with the buzzard but could not get upset with the creature doing what he does. 

Another trip to the veterinarian for Pearl and possibly minor surgery is in the works for her. Another bath for all of them is definitely on the schedule. Calls to shelters and rescue organizations have been hopeful. 

The thing I am most proud of is there never was a word about if we should help. Of the entire world’s problems, this one is miniscule. I know not everyone has the means to help. I do believe this however – if everyone in the world was rated from good to bad I am not sure where my small family would be on that scale. I do believe we would be ahead of whoever tossed those kittens in a ditch.